Why does the chestnut turn yellow. Chestnut diseases and how to treat them. Horse chestnut in landscaping

Horse chestnut fits perfectly into the urban landscape; without it, some cities are simply impossible to imagine. The chestnut looks especially good in spring, during flowering, when its white-yellow-pink candles bloom in honor of the victory over the winter cold. But, unfortunately, this handsome man is prone to diseases that spoil both his view and the view of the city. To know how to treat a tree, it is important to make a correct diagnosis, and even better - to take preventive measures, that is, to be proactive.

Let's name the main chestnut diseases

If you do not carry out prevention, and then do not treat the tree, it will not cope with the problem on its own, and will die. But first you need to know the enemy, that is, diseases, in person, how they look and how they manifest themselves.

Among the main diseases of horse chestnut is leaf spot. This problem begins with early yellowing of the leaves, when autumn is still very far away. After yellowing, the leaves turn brown, and then fall off.

Spotting perforated makes itself felt by small punctures on the leaves, around which brown spots appear. At first they are small, then they get bigger and bigger. When there are no healthy leaves left on the tree, the disease spreads to the bark, forming swellings and ulcers on it.

Black spotting is manifested by blackening and falling of leaves. The tree weakens, blooms poorly, grows more slowly. According to dendrologists, horse chestnut black spot develops for two reasons - from an excess of moisture due to frequent watering and heavy rainfall, and also due to potassium deficiency in the soil.

Spotting red-brown is determined by dark red spots on the leaves. The spots increase in size, grow, turn brown. The disease develops in extreme heat, as well as due to a large amount of moisture, a large difference between day and night temperatures.

Brown spot affects the leaves in the same way as red-brown, only the spots are brown initially, and appear immediately on both sides of the leaf.

The gardener must determine the type of spotting and determine the cause of its appearance, it may be necessary to reduce watering. To make the tree more resistant to spotting, 10 days before flowering, it is sprayed with Bordeaux mixture, Bayleton or Azofos. Processing is carried out after flowering.

If the disease has already arisen and the leaves have begun to deteriorate, it will be necessary to spray the tree with Bordeaux liquid every month, until leaf fall. After the tree sheds its leaves, it is treated with a solution of urea prepared at the rate of 10 grams of urea per 2 liters of water. The soil around the tree is watered with a solution prepared at the rate of 15 grams of urea per 2 liters of water.

All fallen leaves must be burned, dried branches are removed and also burned, the trunk circle is dug up.

Dew spreads due to the wind and water molecules in the air, and almost always spreads from a diseased tree to a healthy one. Therefore, in case of detection of diseases, damaged leaves are cut off along with the branches and immediately burned. A diseased tree is fed with potassium and phosphorus to strengthen immunity, and then treated with fungicides Topsin, Bayleton, Fundazol. Effectively fight the disease and biofungicides Fitosporin, Planriz, Gamair.

Powdery mildew can be fought with folk remedies, for example, wood ash lye. To do this, 400-500 grams of ash is poured with three liters of water and infused for 2 days, after which a little laundry soap is added so that the mixture sticks to the leaves, and the treatment is carried out. On a sunny day, processing is carried out in the evening, on a cloudy day - throughout the day.

Rots can start in the roots and spread to all parts of the tree. As a result, the nutrition of the chestnut becomes poor, it withers, withers, its resistance to weathering decreases.

Root rot develops due to heavy rains and flooding of the soil. Over time, from the roots, it rises along the trunk to a height of about two meters, as a result, the tree begins to dry out and dies.

Stem white rot makes itself felt by the appearance of a white coating with black spots and stripes. This rot rises from the roots along the trunk to a height of up to three meters. Basically, it affects old, weak trees.

Stem brown rot occurs on stumps, but can spread to trees, their bark cracks, becomes brown, with seals.

Stem yellow rot is distinguished by a yellow coating.

Since rot has the ability to penetrate deep into the trunk, it is impossible to rid the tree of it, it is cut down and used for firewood. Even stumps are uprooted, which can become a breeding ground for the disease.

To prevent rot, the soil around the trees is limed, treated with copper sulphate or Baleiton.

Necrosis - the disease affects the trunk and bark if the tree has received severe burns from the rays of the sun, severe frost or mechanical stress.

Stem necrosis occurs on the alignment and branches, while the bark cracks, wounds and small seals of light pink or dark brown color appear on it.

Septomyx necrosis changes the color of the bark, it becomes gray-white, with splits and cracks, in which the same tubercles are visible. This suggests that the tree was attacked by a harmful fungus.

Most often, the fungus attacks young trees, it can completely destroy them. Adult specimens are resistant to the disease.

Treatment of necrosis consists in treatment with fungicides, Bordeaux liquid or folk remedies. In addition, black tubercles are cut off with a sharp knife, and the wound is rubbed with garden pitch.

A good preventive measure against necrosis is whitewashing the chestnut trunk in spring and after leaf fall. A layer of lime protects the bark from low and high temperatures, from harmful microorganisms and pests.

Insects

Not only people and animals suffer from insects, but also trees. Horse chestnut is no exception in this regard, it is attacked by 30 types of insect pests, which scientists divide into several groups:

Stem - barbel and bark beetles. They gnaw on the bark, and their larvae damage the core of the trunk.

Root - most often, this is a May beetle that gnaws on chestnut leaves. Its larvae feed on the juice of the roots, and as a result, they destroy the tree.

Leaves are gnawed by elm leaf beetles and elm beetles. They gnaw holes in the leaf plates.

Sucking insects - scale insects, mealy worms, aphids, thrips suck the juice from the leaves.

Leaf miner - moth eats chestnut leaves, and is considered one of the most dangerous pests of this tree. Unfortunately, this mole has not yet been well studied, and there is no drug that would help get rid of it completely.

The chestnut moth is not large, it is a butterfly with folded wings, only 4 mm long. Dangerous for chestnuts are its larvae, living in the foliage, and eating it, because of which it falls off.

Chestnut moth larvae are very resistant to low and high temperatures, they do not die even when the temperature drops to minus 25 degrees, therefore, treatment against the insect is carried out 2-3 years in a row in spring and summer. The tree is not sprayed, but special injections are made to it with a pistol, introducing preparations along the diameter of the trunk so that the preparations fall into all parts of the tree. Imidachloroprid or Carbosulfan are used for injections - these are very poisonous drugs, the fruits from the cured chestnut are not collected and are not used in traditional medicine, they are not given as animal feed.

In the spring, green foliage blossomed on the chestnut tree and suddenly, by the middle of summer, the crown turned brown and the tree began to die. What is the reason? The main reason for the death of chestnuts is the mining moth, a pest that infects the chestnut crown. We will tell you more about the dangerous insect and methods of treating chestnuts from mining moths.

Barely visible damage to chestnut leaves by moths appears at the end of May. Small brown spots appear on the leaves. By the end of June, chestnuts take on an untidy appearance, extensive brown rounded spots are clearly visible on the leaves. Sometimes, the damage to the crowns is so great that the plant dies. As a rule, active reproduction of moths occurs in conditions favorable for this - drought and high temperatures in spring. If you bring the leaf to the sun, then in the places of lesions you can see moving larvae of the mining moth or motionless insect pupae (depending on the stage of development of the pest). The moth larvae eat the leaf from the inside, so it is quite difficult to cope with the moth.

Treatment of chestnut pests

Spraying with conventional means, for example, those used for aphids, does not help. Measures to combat the chestnut moth should be different. Being inside the leaf plate, insects are reliably protected from the negative effects of most chemicals. A good result in the treatment of chestnut from mining moths is the treatment with systemic insecticides, i.e. substances that penetrate the plant itself and destroy insects from the inside. Systemic insecticides spray the entire crown completely. To do this, use powerful motor sprayers that create fine dust with an active ingredient. You can carry out such treatments on your own, but it should be remembered that the finer the dust created by the sprayer, the more effective the treatment of trees from pests. Not every garden sprayer can handle this task. Another method of controlling mine moths is tree injections. This method, as a rule, gives a complete cure of chestnuts from mining moths and other pests. However, the disadvantage of this method is its high cost.

It is not the first year that the famous Odintsovo chestnuts take a pitiful appearance by the middle of summer. The leaves become covered with rusty spots, dry up and fall off, leaving only the skeleton of the trunk and branches.

A sad picture can be observed right in the center of Odintsovo. A whole alley of these trees has been planted here, and several old trees grow near the Administration building. Why do chestnut trees in Odintsovo look so unpresentable? Seven years ago, specialists from the Moscow State Forest University, who conduct their scientific research in the field of gardening, told the readers of Odintsovo-INFO about this.

But, alas, for seven years it was not possible to curb the attack. The reason that chestnuts are still eaten away and losing their leaves already in the middle of summer, as it turned out, is the complete absence of any measures to protect these trees, in the spirit of “come what may, they will die - we will plant something else”.

In order to maintain a healthy appearance and condition of plants, it is necessary, and the specialists of the Moscow State Forest University told the Odintsovo-INFO portal about this 7 years ago, to thoroughly clean the territory from fallen leaves, loosen the under-stem circles of trees, during the flight of chestnut moth butterflies to water the space under the chestnut trees with jets of water , thereby striking the imago. But for this you need to be a good entomologist, be able to determine the periods of mass flight of insects.

Treatment with insecticide poisons is prohibited in the city, as they are harmful to people and pets. In addition, insects adapt to chemistry very quickly, after a few generations pests will appear that are immune to the drug used to fight, and a new formula will need to be invented.

There are a number of chestnut species that are resistant to this pest, and this property has already interested landscape gardeners; a mass replacement of dying trees with indestructible species has begun.

And what is being done in Odintsovo to protect chestnuts? We found out nothing.

“Many chestnut moth pupae go to winter in the fallen leaves of chestnut trees. And when the autumn period comes and work begins on cleaning the leaves and utilizing them in plastic bags, complaints from residents immediately come in: they say, we are exposing the ground, which will then freeze the trees. Turns out it's a double-edged sword. On the one hand, pests hibernate in the foliage, which spoil the trees, and on the other hand, complaints. commented on the situation. Natalia UHOVA, Deputy Director of MBU "Odintsovo municipal economy".

It turns out that city experts, who, on duty, should know better than anyone how to properly care for chestnuts, do not properly fulfill their duties, referring to the unsubstantiated complaints of residents of the city of Odintsovo. But after all, in response to complaints, you can give a more than convincing answer, explaining to people their delusions, and not give up in obedient inaction when any claims of ignorant inhabitants appear.

In addition, the MBU "Odintsovo municipal economy" noted that chestnuts in Moscow are exactly the same withered as in Odintsovo. The conclusion was made simple and clear - to reduce the planting of chestnuts to a minimum. And whether the ecology is to blame or improper care remains a mystery.

As a result, Odintsovo may lose forever one of its attractions, our luxurious chestnut trees.

It seems that quite recently we were fascinated by how the buds swelled on them, pale green leaves appeared, through which the blue of the spring sky shone through. And when they threw away their "candles", they became like aliens from the tropics - the rays of the sun no longer made their way through the palmate leaves, the thick shadow under the luxurious crowns saved them from the first heat.

Chestnuts are one of the best decorations of our city! But already in early June, on some streets, on Mira Boulevard, there were practically no chestnut trees with healthy green leaves left. All of them became covered with spots, then turned completely yellow, and now they have already fallen off in places. Moreover, this phenomenon did not affect the chestnuts in the factory district at all.

We decided to find out what happened to our beauties.

There are two possible explanations for what is happening.

The second explanation stems from the fact that the "factory" trees remain healthy, unlike their counterparts located near the industrial part of the city ...

The editorial staff of our newspaper turned to the President of the Union "For Chemical Safety" of Russia, Doctor of Chemical Sciences Lev Alexandrovich Fedorov for help. We will definitely tell the readers about the results of his research of the problem.

In the meantime, we want to encourage those who care about the city, who want to leave it clean and safe for our children, to join the public environmental movement.

Well, if the reason is the defeat of the leaves of a certain component of the atmospheric air, the townspeople will have to turn to the heads of enterprises with the requirement to improve the installations for cleaning the emitted air.

Chestnuts can live for more than three hundred years, you just need to help them survive. Survive, for our own sake! Indeed, in addition to the fact that these trees provide aesthetic pleasure and save us from the summer heat, they produce oxygen, the lack of which in the atmosphere causes us to suffer. And now most chestnut leaves lie dry on the ground ...

Horse chestnut is a stately, beautiful tree with a dense shady crown. It is easily recognizable by its large carved leaves that look like outstretched fingers. And of course, it is famous for its flowering - lush tall inflorescences in the form of candles, white and pink, are visible from afar. In autumn, the ground under the chestnut is strewn with chocolate-brown fruits, enclosed in a green, thorn-covered box - children love to pick them.

Genus and its representatives

Olga Nikitina

Genus horse chestnut (Aesculus) belongs to the horse chestnut family and has about 25 species distributed in Europe, Asia and North America. They are relatively frost-resistant, shade-tolerant, but develop better in good light. Most species are moisture-loving, quite resistant to pests and diseases, prefer loamy soils containing lime.

Representatives of this genus are deciduous trees or shrubs with palmately complex, long-petiolate leaves, consisting of 5–9 leaflets, serrated along the edge. The flowers are quite large, bisexual, collected in pyramidal panicles 10–15 cm long. The petals have multi-colored spots, at first they are yellow, and then turn orange and, finally, carmine red. Interestingly, the change in the color of the spot correlates with the change in its smell. Yellow color is a signal for bees and butterflies, meaning the presence of nectar, and orange and red - the absence of it. The fruit is a globular capsule with spikes, usually containing one large, dark brown, polished seed.

The wood of horse chestnuts is diffusely vascular, white or cream, light, in terms of technical properties it is close to the wood of poplar, alder and linden.

Horse chestnuts grow slowly, especially in the first ten years, and tolerate transplantation up to 15–20 years. All species are decorative during the growing season. Used in alleys, group and single plantings in parks, squares and city streets. Chestnuts are capable of accumulating harmful sulfur compounds and lead.

Propagated by sowing seeds in autumn or in the first spring after their collection (preferably after stratification), as well as by grafting or budding on common species.

Proper planting and care of plants is the key to their longevity and decorativeness. Horse chestnut prefers fertile soils; in hot weather, watering is required, otherwise a dry border forms along the edge of the leaves, spoiling the decorative appearance of the plant.

For alley and group plantings, the distance between trees should be at least 5–6 m. After planting, the soil settles and compacts, so plants are planted to a depth at which the root ball will be 10–20 cm higher than recommended. This is especially important to observe when landing large specimens. As a drainage, coarse-grained sand or gravel is poured into the planting pit with a layer of 15–20 cm.

The soil mixture should consist of sod and leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1. If the soil is acidic, lime must be added.

Watering is required not only when planting, but also the next 3-4 days. In early spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are applied, and in the fall they are fed with mineral fertilizers (nitroammophoska). Pruning removes dry and diseased branches, as well as top shoots, which sometimes form on the trunk.

K. to. ordinary (A. hippocastanum), growing in the south of the Balkan Peninsula, has become widespread in culture. Luxurious tree 30 m high with a tent-shaped crown and a powerful trunk up to 2 m in diameter, covered with gray-brown bark. Its blossoming leaves resemble huge dark green fans. Sparingly spread, they clearly demonstrate the phenomenon of leaf mosaic. At the beginning of summer, white candles of inflorescences “flash” in the crown, the pyramidal forms of which botanists call thyrses.

This species is quite light and moisture-loving, demanding on the richness of soils. In autumn, with abundant fruiting, it can clog sidewalks and paths with fallen fruits. During drought, the leaves warp and fall off.

Most types of horse chestnut grow naturally in the lowland and mountain forests of North America, many of them are used in our green building.

The unusual name of the genus is associated with the shape of the leaf trace, similar to a horseshoe. It is also reminiscent of a light spot on the dark brown skin of the seed.

(A.octandra) is native to eastern North America. This is a large tree, 20–30 m high, with a trunk diameter of up to 2.5 m, and has a dense, broadly ovoid crown. The leaves are palmate, lighter than the previous species. The flowers are yellow, collected in pyramidal panicles, 10–15 cm long. The fruits are spherical capsules, up to 6 cm in diameter, non-thorny. It grows relatively quickly, it is undemanding to soils, but in culture it is short-lived. It is considered a shade-tolerant species, but it blooms weakly in shading, which affects its decorative effect. Relatively winter-hardy, watering is necessary on dry soils.

Horse chestnut naked (A.glabra) - a tree 10–20 m high, grows in the south of Nebraska, Iowa and Pennsylvania, as well as on the western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. It has a transparent crown, graceful, smooth foliage and fruits with soft thorns, later with tubercles. Pale greenish-yellow flowers are collected in pyramidal panicles up to 18 cm long.

Widespread in culture k. k. meat-red (A. x carnea). This is a tree 15–25 m high, of hybrid origin, the hybrid was obtained by crossing the common horse chestnut and horse pavia chestnut. It looks spectacular during flowering, as it has flowers of various colors (from pink to dark red), collected in paniculate inflorescences up to 20 cm long. It begins to bloom earlier than the common horse chestnut, the duration of flowering is 20 days. Leaves stay green for a long time in autumn. Horse chestnut meat-red is very sensitive to air and soil dryness. It is considered one of the most decorative species.

horse chestnut pavia (A. pavia) - a tree from 6 to 12 m in height, sometimes grows in a bushy manner. The leaves are graceful, two times smaller than those of the common horse chestnut, narrowly elliptical. Differs in bright red flowers collected in loose panicles up to 16 cm long. The fruits are small spherical boxes with tubercles. It is a less frost-resistant species than the common horse chestnut, but in places well protected from the wind it grows as a shrub, blooms and bears fruit.

Very interesting k. k. small-flowered (A. parviflora), which is a beautiful densely branched shrub 4–5 m high. Sometimes this species can form entire thickets. The leaves are palmately compound, with a grayish pubescence below. White small, up to 1 cm, flowers are collected in luxurious cylindrical panicles up to 40 cm long. Pink-white stamens, which are twice as long as the petals, add piquancy to the flowers. This type of chestnut is not frost-resistant enough, in central Russia it requires shelter for the winter, but in the southern regions it feels great if it is watered abundantly during droughts. It is of interest as a bushy late-blooming chestnut species that looks good in single and group plantings.

Chinese horse chestnut (A.chinensis) is one of the few species native to China. This is a tree up to 15 m high, with bare young branches. White flowers with red-yellow spots on the petals are collected in panicles up to 20 cm long and 5.5 cm wide. The fruit is a slightly flattened, almost spherical box, 2–2.5 cm in diameter. Insufficiently frost-resistant, in central Russia it requires winter shelter.

Horse chestnuts are not only ornamental and melliferous, but also medicinal plants.

Flowering horse chestnut horse chestnut fruit Flowering horse chestnut meat-red

Horse chestnut diseases

Ella Sokolova,

Horse chestnut is one of the most disease-resistant breeds. Nevertheless, there are a number of diseases that reduce the decorative or longevity of these trees in artificial plantations.

leaf diseases

powdery mildew (pathogen - fungus Uncinuella flexuosa). In mid-July, a delicate white cobwebbed, barely noticeable mycelium bloom appears on both sides of the leaves. By the end of summer, it thickens and becomes clearly visible, covering the entire surface of the leaves. During this period, on the mycelium on both sides, but mainly on the lower one, sporulation of the pathogen is formed, which has the form of numerous small black dots, located more often along the veins of the leaf. Chestnut of different ages is affected, but the disease is most dangerous for young plants.

Red-brown spotting (pathogen - fungus Phyllostictaspaeropsoidea). In July, large red-brown or ocher-brown spots of rounded or irregular shape appear on both sides of the leaves. With a strong development of the disease, the spots merge, often covering most of the leaf surface. On the upper side of the spots, sporulation of the pathogen is formed in the form of small black scattered, clearly visible dots.

ocher spotting (pathogen - fungus Phyllostictacastanea). In the second half of summer, large round spots appear on both sides of the leaves, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, ocher in color with a dark border. On the upper side of the spots, sporulation of the fungus is formed in the form of small black dots.

brown spot (pathogen - fungus Coniothyrium australe). In July, light brown or rusty-brown spots of irregular shape appear on both sides of the leaves, usually limited by leaf veins. The spots quickly increase, merge and cover almost the entire surface of the leaves. On the upper side of the spots, sporulation of the pathogen is formed in the form of small black spots.

The causative agents of leaf diseases persist on the fallen affected foliage, which is the source of infection. High humidity contributes to the development of most types of these diseases. Mass damage to the leaves with powdery mildew and spotting leads to a decrease in the decorative effect of the chestnut and premature leaf fall.

The causative agents of leaf diseases persist on the fallen affected foliage, which is the source of infection. High humidity contributes to the development of most types of these diseases.

Diseases of branches and trunks

Tubercular (nectrium) necrosis of trunks and branches (pathogen - fungus Tubercularia vulgaris). On affected shoots and thin branches, the bark dies off in a circle and does not differ in color from healthy. On the trunks and thicker elements of the crown, separate elongated necrotic areas are formed, cracks appear along their edge over time, and even later, cancerous wounds appear at the site of necrosis. On the dead bark of trunks and branches throughout the year, sporulation of the pathogen can be found in the form of pink, pinkish-red and dark brown rounded or oval pads with a diameter of 1–3 mm. Often they completely cover the affected areas of the trunk and branches. In k. horse, not only the bark is affected, but also the vascular system of the tree. At the same time, the peripheral layers of wood of trunks and branches acquire a brown color.

Phomopsis necrosis (pathogen - fungus Phomopsisconeglanen-sis). Depending on the thickness of the trunks and branches, the bark dies around the circumference or in separate areas. The color of the affected bark almost does not differ in color from the healthy one. In the thickness of the bark, sporulation of the fungus is formed in the form of numerous black tubercles protruding from the ruptures of the integumentary tissues. At the same time, necrotic areas differ sharply from healthy ones in a strongly pronounced roughness.

Septomyx branch necrosis (pathogen - fungus Septomyxaaesculi). The bark of affected branches becomes yellowish-gray. In the thickness of the dead bark, sporulation of the pathogen is formed in the form of dark tubercles protruding from epidermal ruptures in groups or scattered.

Frost-sunburn, frost cracks, mechanical damage, and other factors that cause weakening of trees contribute to the defeat of horse necrosis. Necrotic diseases reduce the decorative effect of the chestnut, lead to the drying out of young plants.

Footnote: Frost-solar burns, frost cracks, and mechanical damage contribute to the defeat of the equine necrosis.

White sapwood (peripheral) rot of roots and trunks (causative agent - autumn honey agaric - Armillaria mellea). The rot from the roots rises into the trunk to a height of up to 2 m. Under the bark of the roots and the lower part of the trunk, white fan-shaped films of mycelium and dark brown branching flat cords (rhizomorphs) are formed, which serve as a characteristic sign of damage by honey agaric. The fruit bodies of the fungus develop in the butt of the trunks, on stumps, fallen trees and dead wood. Trees that are weakened due to adverse weather conditions, air and soil pollution, growing conditions that do not correspond to the breed, etc. are affected. Honey agaric accelerates the weakening of trees, leading to their drying out.

White sound (central) trunk rot (causative agent - scaly tinder fungus - Polyporus squamosus). The rot is white, with black lines, fissured, fine-meshed, affects the lower part of the trunk, rising to a height of up to 3 m, sometimes goes into the roots. The fungus more often affects growing old trees, but is able to develop on stumps and fallen trees. Fruiting bodies are annual, in the form of fleshy hats on the lateral, less often on the central legs. Hats are rounded, reniform or fan-shaped, 10 - 60 cm in diameter, solitary, less often - several in a group. The surface of the caps is whitish, creamy, yellowish, with large brown scales.

Light yellow trunk rot (causative agent - oyster mushroom ordinary - Pleurotus ostreatus). The fungus causes light yellow sound, partially - heartwood-sapwood, cellular fibrous rot. Fruit bodies are annual, in the form of fleshy soft caps on lateral legs. Caps 7–15 cm in diameter, sometimes up to 30 cm, convex or depressed in the center, shell-shaped or tongue-shaped, smooth, initially dark, later gray, grayish-brown or yellowish.

Brown rot of trunks and branches (causative agent - common slit leaf - Schizophyllumcommunity). The rot is hard, fissured, slowly developing in the surface layers of the wood. Fruiting bodies look like thin, leathery light gray velvety caps 1–4 cm wide. The fungus is often found on stumps, dead wood, and in growing trees - on dry bogs. The trunks of drying and shrunken trees are often completely covered with the fruiting bodies of the slit leaf and become gray, as if velvet.

In addition to those indicated, other rots are quite common on k. horse: white sound, caused by false tinder fungus ( Phellionus igniarius) etc. splitting ( Tyromyces fissilis), white sapwood - hard hairy stereoum ( Stereum hirsutum) and chondrostereum purple ( Chondrostereum purpureum), white sound-sapwood - scorched tinder fungus ( Bjerkandera adusta).

Stem rot causes a gradual weakening of trees, reduces their resistance to wind, and contributes to the colonization of stem insects.

To protect horse chestnut from diseases, the following measures are recommended:

• systematic observations of the state of plants and the appearance of diseases;
• creation of optimal conditions for the growth and development of plants (especially young ones), which increase their resistance to diseases;
• pruning of affected and shrunken branches with their immediate destruction;
• treatment of wounds and hollows on trunks;
• with systematically repeated severe leaf damage with powdery mildew and spotting, spraying crowns during the growing season with fungicides effective for a particular type of disease;
• late autumn or early spring spraying of fallen leaves with eradicating fungicides in order to destroy the wintering stages of pathogens.

horse chestnut pests

Galina Lebedeva, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences

About 30 species of harmful insects and herbivorous mites are known on horse chestnut, but most of them can be found only in the southern forests of the European part of Russia, in the forests of the Crimea, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Insects and mites damage almost all plant organs: leaves, buds, shoots, branches, trunks and fruits. Most pests of horse chestnut are polyphages, i.e., they also feed on other hardwoods.

root pests

The root system of the horse chestnut can be severely damaged by the larvae of the May beetle, and the beetles of the beetles bring significant damage as a result of eating the leaves.

Sucking pests

Sucking insects and herbivorous mites feed on the juice of leaves, shoots, and flowers. These include several types of thrips, aphids, coccids (scale insects and mealybugs, false scale insects).

Thrips are very small insects (no more than 2–3 mm), whose larvae and adults suck juices from flowers, flower stalks and young leaves; feeding on flowers does not cause any noticeable harm. Three of their species are known on k. horse.

Aphids (two species) suck juices from the underside and top of the leaves.

Especially serious damage is caused by scale insects living on the trunk, branches and shoots of plants. As a result of their nutrition, there is a decrease in annual growth, the number of leaves on a tree, and the size of leaf blades; as the next stage - the drying of individual branches and finally the whole plant. On the stem and branches, longitudinal sections through the bark inhabited by scale insects reveal browned areas of dead tissues of the sap-conducting part of the bark.

Six polyphagous species of coccids have been recorded on horse chestnut. Most species live in the southern forests of the European part of Russia - purple scale insect, southern maple mealybug, giant red scale insect, wrinkled spherical false scale, in Primorsky Krai, in southern Sakhalin and in the southern forests of the European part - Californian, or harmful, scale insect, in the European part - maple mealybug.

leaf miners

Mines on the leaves are formed as a result of the feeding of the larvae of the wild chestnut miner and the chestnut miner moth. Currently, chestnut plantations are under threat due to the mass reproduction of a dangerous quarantine pest - the chestnut miner moth (Cameraria ohridella Desh. & Dim.). Damage caused by the larvae of this moth significantly reduces the decorative effect of plantings and contributes to their weakening.

leaf-eating insects

These insects feed on horse chestnut leaves. The leaves are skeletonized by beetles and larvae of the elm leaf beetle, beetles of the elm leaf beetle gnaw out roundish holes on the leaves without touching the veins. The leaves are eaten by beetles of polyphagous leaf elephants (pear and nettle). The leaf cutter bee cuts out leaves for lining the nest cells and blocking it. The beetles of the hairy deer (family lamellar) feed on young leaves and flowers.

Butterfly caterpillars - arrowheads of the maple, elm moth, winter moth - eat horse leaves along with other tree species.

stem pests

Pests of the bark and wood of horse chestnut are represented by a small number of species from the order of butterflies and beetles. A mining moth settles in the bark of trees, the caterpillars of which make passages. In the trunks of drying and shrunken chestnuts, five species of bark beetles and nine species of barbel feed, which, in addition to the horse chestnut, damage many other tree species. The tunnels of two species of bark beetles (oak sapwood and Lezhava kryfal) are located directly under the bark, and the rest - in the wood. The larvae of most barbel species feed under the bark and in the wood of the thick part of the trunk. The larvae of the longhorn beetle and basket beetle can be found in the dead branches of the horse chestnut tree.

Currently, horse chestnut plantations are under threat due to the mass reproduction of a dangerous quarantine pest - the chestnut miner moth (Cameraria ohridella Desh. & Dim.).

Horse chestnut in landscaping

Olga Nikitina

Horse chestnuts in the Central Russian landscape look somewhat exotic. But these beautiful plants have been used in culture for a long time and proved to be the best. Majestic trees with fan-shaped leaves, creating a dense crown, look especially impressive during flowering. Large white inflorescences resemble candles, clearly visible against the background of dark green foliage.

Usage

They say that the flowering of chestnuts and lilacs should be admired in Kyiv. And indeed, the park on Vladimirskaya Gorka in May is buried in white and lilac clouds, fragrant with exquisite aromas. In autumn, the crown of chestnuts turns yellow, fruits ripen - green boxes, from which dark brown large shiny seeds fall out. In winter, when the architectonics of the tree crown is clearly visible, bare shoots with large apical buds covered with resinous scales look spectacular.

Horse chestnuts have established themselves as beautiful park trees that create a dense shade, look great both in single and in alley and row plantings. But these trees are famous not only for their beauty, they are able to clean 20 thousand m3 of air from automobile exhaust gases, therefore they are widely used in urban development.

Most often in landscaping, horse chestnut is used in its pure form, as a rule, in solitary, ordinary or avenue plantings. In mixed groups, it goes well with large trees, such as oak, beech, plane tree, which, like him, have a well-developed crown.

Species and varieties

Most widely used in landscape design k. k. ordinary- powerful trees with a dense crown adorn parks, squares and boulevards in many cities of our country. It is pleasant to walk under the canopy of chestnut branches on a hot summer day. In May, when white candles of inflorescences flash in its crown, this species is so attractive that it simply has no equal. In addition, chestnut flowers contain nectar, which bees readily collect. In summer, its dark green leaf mosaic is interesting, and in autumn the tree is dressed in a yellow outfit with numerous fruit-boxes.

Recently, wonderful decorative forms and varieties of small sizes have appeared, they can be used in mixed compositions as accent plants:

‘ Baumannii ’ - differs in white terry flowers and long flowering. It does not give fruit, which can also be considered a big plus, since it does not clog the sidewalks and paths of parks and squares.

‘ Laciniata ’ has narrow, graceful, deeply dissected leaves, giving the root delicacy.

‘ Memmingeri ’ - the leaves are strewn with white small specks.

The same use with the previous view received k.k. naked, which grows in the form of a tree 10–20 m high. During flowering, it is decorated with greenish-yellow flowers with four petals, collected in pyramidal inflorescences. Perfect for urban landscaping, good for both single and group plantings.

Somewhat less commonly used in green building k. k. eight-stalk, which is decorative with inflorescences of yellow flowers and ornamental foliage. Unlike common horse chestnut, it grows relatively quickly, but is short-lived in culture. Recommended for single landings and small groups in city parks and squares.

One of the most decorative species is considered k. k. meat-red, which is a hybrid of horse chestnut and horse chestnut pavia. This low tree or large shrub during flowering is decorated with paniculate inflorescences with elegant dark red flowers. In severe winters, it can freeze over, so it is recommended to plant in warm, sunny areas well protected from the wind. It is used as a tapeworm and in groups with shrubs. The most famous varieties of this species: ‘ Briotii ’ – with bright scarlet flowers and ‘ Pendula ’ , whose drooping branches form a weeping crown. They will be appropriate both in single plantings and in group plantings as attractive accents.

horse chestnut pavia interesting for its relatively small size (in the introduction it grows as a shrub about 3 m high) and bright red small flowers collected in paniculate inflorescences. Its varieties are also of great interest, but we must not forget that in central Russia in winter, old branches can freeze on these plants. Variety ‘ Atrosanguinea ’ has darker red flowers, and ‘ Humilis ’ – low prostrate crown and smaller inflorescences.

horse chestnut
horse chestnut meat red
Horse chestnut small-flowered

Healing properties of horse chestnut

Marina Kulikova, candidate of biological sciences

The horse chestnut is native to Asia and the Balkan Peninsula. In Russia, it grows only in plantings. The most common decorative horse chestnut in parks and gardens is ordinary ( Aesculus hippocastanum). The scientific name of the genus comes from the Latin word "esca" - "food". Horse chestnut fruits are readily eaten by many animals, including deer and wild pigs.

Even in ancient times, folk healers advised people suffering from rheumatism to carry chestnut fruits with them, tying them to a sore spot. “In case of rheumatism in the arm or leg, pick up three chestnuts as often as possible, touching them with your fingers,” P. Sedir recommended in his once popular book “Magic Plants”.

The famous physician Parkinson (who first described Parkinson's disease) admitted in his book "Paradise" that he cultivated the chestnut tree in his garden and used various parts of the tree to treat a variety of diseases. But the medicinal effect of horse chestnut was discovered only in 1896. A French doctor, whose name has not been preserved in history, prepared a chestnut tincture, which he successfully used to treat hemorrhoids. Soon they found out the beneficial effect of chestnut on the entire vascular system. Since then, the scope of this plant has expanded markedly. In medicine, the bark, leaves, flowers and fruits of the chestnut are used.

In medicine, the bark, leaves, flowers and fruits of the chestnut are used.

seeds harvested by hand in September-October at the time of full maturity. Dry in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 60 ºС. Seeds contain escin saponin, flavonoids, tannins, vitamins B, C, K. Raw materials are stored for two years.

Koru branches are harvested in March-April, cutting it off from 4-5-year-old branches. Dry in the oven at a temperature of 50-60 ºС. Coumarins, tannins, fatty oil and also saponin escin were found in the bark.

flowers and leaves horse chestnut is harvested during the flowering period (May-June) and dried in the shade, in a well-ventilated area. Leaves and flowers are rich in flavonoids, carotenoids, glycosides. Keep no longer than one year.

Preparations from horse chestnut also have anti-inflammatory, wound healing, hemostatic, analgesic, astringent, blood-purifying, tonic and bactericidal properties.

In the scientific medicine of our country, preparations from the leaves and seeds of horse chestnut are used. Its value lies in the fact that it contains substances that prevent increased blood clotting, the formation of blood clots, strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Medicines from horse chestnut also have anti-inflammatory, wound healing, hemostatic, analgesic, astringent, blood-purifying, tonic and bactericidal properties.

The pharmaceutical industry produces preparations with chestnut extract. Esculin stimulates the antithrombotic activity of blood serum. Escin lowers blood viscosity. Horse chestnut fruit extract slows down blood clotting.
An extract from the bark (venostazin) is used for thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, etc.

In folk medicine, the bark of branches, flowers and seeds have long been used to treat hemorrhoids, articular rheumatism, gallbladder diseases and as a hemostatic agent for uterine bleeding.

The leaves of the plant are used to treat whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma, and also as a diuretic. With diarrhea, the seeds are brewed. Decoctions and infusions of horse chestnut are drunk as a hypnotic and sedative, as well as for prostatitis, gout, sciatica, to relieve muscle cramps.

Horse chestnut perfectly cleans the air from exhaust gases.

You should not self-medicate. Before using horse chestnut preparations, you should consult with a phytotherapeutist. Be aware that overuse of these drugs can cause bloating. Chestnut medicines are contraindicated for stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and increased blood clotting. These drugs should be used under the supervision of a physician with blood prothrombin control. There are cases of severe poisoning of pets and children who have eaten horse chestnut fruits.

There are cases of severe poisoning of pets and children who have eaten horse chestnut fruits.

Recipes:

For arthritis, gout and salt deposition, a tincture of flowers is used, which can be prepared in the spring and at home. To do this, you need to take 10 g of freshly picked flowers, separating them from the green base, crush and insist on 100 ml of vodka in a dark place for a week, shaking occasionally. Strain and take tincture 30 drops 3 times a day before meals for a month.

As a choleretic agent: pour 10 g of dried crushed chestnut flowers into a glass of hot water, boil for 30 minutes, strain. Then squeeze and bring to the original volume. Drink 1 tbsp. l. 2-3 times a day after meals.

For diarrhea: pour 20 g of crushed bark with a glass of boiling water, bring to a boil, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take 50 ml 3 times a day before meals.

In case of inflammation of the veins: pour 5 g of crushed raw materials into 200 ml of hot water, boil in a closed enameled bowl in a water bath for 30 minutes, strain hot, bring the volume of boiled water to the original. Take 1 tbsp. l. 2-3 times a day after meals. The course of treatment is 2-8 weeks.

chestnut honey

Bees collect nectar from the white flowers of the plant. Spots are noticeable on the white petals of the flowers: first yellow, then orange, and finally carmine red. As the color changes, so does the smell coming from the stains. All these are signals for bees pollinating horse chestnut. Orange means that there is little nectar left, and red means that there is no nectar at all.

The taste of chestnut honey is unusual, slightly bitter. Horse chestnut honey is runny, clear, and usually colorless. It should not be left for the winter, as it easily crystallizes. Chestnut honey has a pronounced antimicrobial effect. Recommended for cardiovascular diseases and digestive disorders. It has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system and organs of the gastrointestinal tract.